The Colts knew they had to win this game if they wanted to keep their playoff hopes alive. They did just that, winning 24-21.
Early on, it didn’t look good. The Colts couldn’t move the ball on offense, and looked as stagnant as they did against the Jaguars. But then a big 60 yard pass to T.Y. Hilton changed everything. After that pass, the offense found their rhythm and won the game 24-21.
This game was really won by the defense. They held Houston in check all game long, especially early when the offense was having issues. Denico Autry had another huge game and put all kinds of pressure on Deshaun Watson. They really only allowed a couple of big plays late.
Hilton continues to own Houston. He had another big game in NRG stadium, recording 9 catches for 199 yards. The only thing Houston was able to do was hold him out of the end zone. But he came up with big plays time and time again.
The Colts were focused today. They were disciplined and played like they knew they needed to win. There weren’t a ton of mistakes today. There were a few drops, but it could have been much worse. Frank Reich did a much better job this week of preparing his team.
Moving forward, this puts the Colts in a good spot. While they are still unlikely to win the division, they put themselves in a better spot to win the final wild-card spot. They still need a few things to fall their way, but a win gives them a much better chance.
Winning is the only thing this team can control, and they just won their hardest remaining game. They play home against Dallas next week, another hot team. But as they showed today, they can be a cold bucket of water that cools off hot teams.